Public Invitation: Learn the Latest on Your Water Resources in the Dakotas

Learn the Latest on Your Water Resources in the Dakotas

Media Advisory and Public Invitation

Release Date: April 8, 2019

News media and the public are invited to a free meeting about critical South Dakota-area water issues on Thursday, April 11, in Rapid City, South Dakota.

The 17th annual Western South Dakota Hydrology Conference is an opportunity for reporters, scientists, students and community members to meet and exchange ideas, discuss issues and explore new science related to key water resources in South Dakota and the surrounding area. The preliminary 2019 program is available on the conference website.

DETAILS: The conference is free for news media, the public and students. More information about the conference and registration is available at the conference website.

RSVP: All attendees are asked to register by visiting the conference website or by contacting Galen Hoogestraat at 605-394-3264. Walk-ins on the day of the conference are also welcome.

The luncheon keynote speaker for the John T. Loucks Distinguished Lecture, Dr. David R. Montgomery from the University of Washington, will present “Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life.” Dr. Montgomery is an author and geomorphologist who studies the processes that shape Earth’s surface and how they affect ecological systems and human societies. He was awarded a MacArthur Foundation fellowship in 2008 and has authored a series of books on soil health and conservation. The John T. Loucks Distinguished Lecture is sponsored by the West Dakota Water Development District.

Other invited speakers for the conference include Tim Cowman from the South Dakota Geological Survey, who will present on impacts of sedimentation on the Missouri River; Shannon Minerich from the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources, presenting on the South Dakota integrated report, which identifies waters that are not meeting water quality standards; and Jaret Heise, who will discuss ongoing science opportunities at the Sanford Underground Research Facility.